IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


// 


^ 


II   I.I 

11.25 


■^■2.8 

US  "■ 

lit  m 


2.5 
2.2 


2.0 

14  u& 


6" 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


% 


^ 


<^ 


'  •% 
^ 

-^.\ 


23  WBT  MAIN  STRiiT 

WIBSTER,N.Y.  14SM 

(716)  •72-4903 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVl/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historicai  IVIicroreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  historiquas 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  tachniques  at  bibliographiquaa 


Tha  inatituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  aignificantly  changa 
tha  uaual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


D 


n 


n 


Colourad  covara/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


|~~1    Covara  damagad/ 


Couvartura  andommagi6e 

Covara  rastorad  and/or  (aminatad/ 
Couvartura  raataurte  at/ou  palliculte 

Covar  titia  miaaing/ 

La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 

Colourad  mapa/ 

Cartaa  gtographiquaa  an  coulaur 

Colourad  init  (i.a.  othar  than  blua  or  black)/ 
Encra  da  coulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  noira) 


I     I   Colourad  piataa  and/or  llluctrationa/ 


Planchaa  at/ou  llluatrationa  an  coulaur 


Bound  with  othi^r  matarial/ 
Rali6  avac  (i'autraa  documanta 


Tight  binding  may  cauaa  shadowa  or  diatortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liura  aerrte  peut  cauaar  da  I'ombra  ou  da  la 
diatortion  la  long  da  la  marge  IntArieure 

Blank  laavaa  added  during  reatoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  poaaible,  theae 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  ae  peut  que  certainea  pagea  blanchea  ajouttea 
lore  d'une  reatauration  apparaiaaant  dana  la  texte, 
mala,  ioraqua  cela  itait  poaaible,  cea  pagea  n'ont 
paa  6ti  fiimAea. 

Additional  commanta:/ 
Commentaires  aupplAmentairea; 


L'Inatitut  a  microfilmi  la  meilleur  exemplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  At*  poaaible  de  ae  p<ocurer.  Lea  d^taiia 
da  cat  exemplaira  qui  aont  i;)4ut-Atra  uniquea  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographiquii,  qui  pauvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dana  la  mMhoda  normale  de  f ilmaga 
aont  indiqute  ci-daaaoua. 


n 
n 

n 
0 


n 


Thia  item  la  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  eat  film*  au  taux  da  rMuction  indiqu*  ci-daaaoua. 


Colourad  pagea/ 
Pagea  da  couleur 

Pagea  damaged/ 
Pagea  andommagAea 

Pagea  reatorad  and/or  laminated/ 
Pagea  reataurtea  at/ou  pellicultea 

Pagea  diacoloured,  atainad  or  foxed/ 
Pagea  dteolortea.  tachatAea  ou  piquiea 

Pagea  detached/ 
Pagea  dAtachtea 

Showthrough/ 
Tranaparence 


I      I    Quality  of  print  variaa/ 


Quality  inAgala  de  I'impreaaion 

Includea  aupplamentary  material/ 
Comprend  du  material  aupplAmantaira 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Adition  diaponible 


Pagea  wholly  or  partially  obacured  by  errata 
alipa.  tiaauea,  etc.,  have  been  ref limed  to 
enaure  the  beat  poaaible  image/ 
Lea  pagea  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obacurciea  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  AtA  filmAea  A  nouveau  da  fapon  A 
obtanir  la  maiileure  image  poaaible. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

i 

y 

12X 

16X 

aox 

a4x 

• 

28X 

32X 

The  copy  film«d  h«r«  has  b««n  r«produe«d  thank* 
to  tha  ganaroaity  of: 

Library  of  tha  Public 
Archives  of  Canada 


L'axamplaira  film*  fut  raproduit  grAca  h  la 

ginirositi  da- 
La  bibliothdque  des  Archives 
publiques  du  Canada 


Th^  Images  appearing  hare  are  the  beat  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  In  keeping  with  the 
filming  confact  apecif icationa. 


Original  copies  In  printed  paper  covera  a.  a  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  laat  page  with  a  printed  or  illuatratad  Impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  ere  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illuatratad  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  laat  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ►  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Lea  images  sulvantas  ont  tt^  reproduites  avac  la 
plus  grand  aoin.  compta  tenu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattet*  de  rexempiaira  film*,  at  en 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fllmage. 

Lea  exemplalras  orlglnsux  dont  la  couvarture  en 
pepier  est  imprimie  sont  filmAs  en  commandant 
par  la  premier  plat  at  en  terminant  solt  par  la 
darniire  page  qui  comporte  une  ampreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autres  exemplaires 
orlginaux  aont  fiimte  an  commen^ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'jmpreaslon  ou  d'illustration  at  an  terminant  par 
la  darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
ampreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  sulvants  apparattra  sur  la 
darnlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  la  symbols  -^  signifle  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  ▼  sionifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratioa.  Thoaa  too  ierge  to  be 
entirely  Included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hend  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrama  illustrate  the 
method: 


Lea  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  hire 
fllmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff«rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  hue 
reprodult  en  un  seul  ciich*,  11  est  film*  A  partir 
de  Tangle  aupArlaur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Lea  diagrammes  auivants 
illustrent  la  m6thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

I 


It 


PROPOSED  MBASUKE  FOR  ADMISSION 


or 


GRAIN, 


FROM  ALI^  COUNTRIES  INTO 


GREAT     BRITAIN, 


ADDRESSED  TO 


HIS  GRACE  THE  DUKE  OF  WELLINGTON, 


BY 


JAMES    BUCHANAN,    Esq., 


HBR  majesty's  CONSUL  AT  NEW- YORK. 


NEW.YORK : 


THOMAS  R.  MERCEIN,  JR.,  PRINTER. 
1841, 


New-York,  1st  August,  1841. 


In  the  year  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty-two  I  was 
induced  to  ^)ubli3h  a  pamphlet,  developing  a  plan  for  throw- 
ing open  the  ports  of  Great  Britain  for  the  importation  of 
grain  from  all  countries.  The  circumstances  of  the  present 
day  seem  to  me  favorable  for  a  reproduction  of  this  project, 
which  is  accordingly  set  forth  in  the  following  pages. 

It  is  unquestionable  that  the  prosperity  of  agriculture  is 
intimately  connected  with  the  stability  of  British  greatness  ; 
yet  the  commercial  relations  of  the  kingdom  are  so  immense 
and  important  that  they  demand  and  must  receive  their 
share  of  legislative  attention,  even  when  they  come  in 
conflict  with  the  agricultural ;  and  how  to  reconcile  the 
two,  in  the  face  of  the  extending  demand  for  freedom  of 
trade,  is  one  of  the  greatest  problems  for  the  solution  of  the 
political   economist.     My   conviction  is  that  agriculture, 
commerce  and  manufactures,  may  be  made  to  support  each 
other ;  and  that  a  happy  combination  of  their  energies  may 
be  devised,  by  which  not  only  their  own  prosperity,  but  that 
of  the  nation,  may  be  raised  to  the  highest  point.     The 
question  is  how  to  accomplish  that  desirable  object.     An 
attempt  to  answer  it  in  part  will  be  found  in  the  succeeding 
pages. 

The  plan  set  forth  by  me  in  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty 
two,  was  three-fold  in  its  object. 

First,  to  prevent  foreign  agricultural  countries  from  im- 
posing heavy  duties  on  British  manufactures. 


i 


4 

Second,  to  make  Great  Britain  an  emporium  for  the  de- 
posite  of  grain  in  seasons  of  plenty,  in  exchange  for  British 
manufactures  ;*  and, 

Third,  by  the  admission  of  grain  at  all  times,  to  do  away 
all  motive  for  that  exclusion  of  British  products,  which  is 
unquestionably  generated  by  our  corn  laws ;  and,  at  the 
same  time,  by  imposing  the  same  duties  on  foreign  grain 
that  are  imposed  by  the  producing  countries  on  British 
manufactures,  at  once  to  silence  all  charges  of  exclusiveness 
against  Great  Britain,  and  hold  out  an  inducement  to  that 
liberality  of  trade  which  will  afford  the  greatest  advantage 
to  both  parties. 

The  idea  developed  in  the  second  of  the  objects  above 
specified,  originated  with  the  Lord  Wallace,  by  whom 
I  had  the  honor  of  being  consulted  in  eighteen  hundred 
and  twenty,  when  he  was  Vice-President  of  the  Board  of 
Trade,  on  various  interesting  and  important  subjects  per- 
taining to  the  commercial  relations  of  the  kingdom,  particu- 
larly with  Her  Majesty's  North  American  possessions. 

The  third  object  enumerated,  although  general  in  its 
scope,  had  particular  reference  to  Canada,  which  might  be 
made  the  great  farming  district  for  the  supply  of  food  for 
England,  to  the  exceeding  profit  and  advantage  of  both. 

The  plan  I  would  suggest  is  developed  in  the  following 
propositions. 

FIRST  MEASURE. 

That  wheat,  rye,  oats  and  barley  shall  be  admitted  into 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  from  all  countries,  for  home 

♦  See  note  at  the  end. 


,i 


consumption,  on  tlie  payment  of  the  same  duties  ad  valorem 
that  arc  levied  by  those  countries  upon  the  manufactures  of 
the  United  Kingdom. 

OBSERVATIONS. 

I  would  prohibit  the  importation  of  flour  into  Groat  Bri- 
tarn,  fur  home  consumption,  in  order  to  retain  the  manufac- 
ture of  that  article  for  our  own  mills.     Grain,  if  properly 
secured  and  kept,  may  be  preserved  for  years  ;  there  would 
be   no   dUficulty,  therefore,  in  making  England  a  great 
emporium  for  the  deposite  of  bread  stuffs,  to  which  other 
countries  might  resort  in  times  of  scarcitv,  while  for  home 
consumption  the  price  would  seldom  vary.     Fluctuation  in 
the  price  of  food  is  seldom  or  never  beneficial  to  the  pro. 
ducer,  while  to  the  consumer  it  is  always  an  injury,  causin- 
mischievous  fluctuations  in  the  rate  of  wages.     I  know  it 
IS  a  received  axiom  that  dear  food  causes  high  wages,  and 
vice  versa,  but  my  experience  has  taught  me  otherwise 
I  have  always  found  that  when  food  was  dear,  men  were 
obliged  to  work  at  whatever  wages  they  could  get ;  when 
It  was  cheap,  the  necessity  of  working  was  less  urgent,  and 
workmen  being  more  in  demand,  wages  of  course  were 
higher. 


SECOND  MEASURE. 

That  grain,  to  be  ware-housed,  shall  be  admitted  from  all 
countries,  free  of  duty.  If  ground  in  England,  to  be 
exported  duty  free,  subject  only  to  the  expense  of  ware- 
housing.  Such  grain  if  consumed  in  Great  Britain,  to  pay 
a  duty  of  one  shilling  and  three  pence  sterling  per  bushel. 


G 


OBSERVATIONS. 


i 


By  this  arrangement,  an  ample  and  certain  supply  of 
flour  for  Her  Majesty's  West-India  colonies  would  be  se- 
cured ;  while  British  vessels  bound  for  ports  in  Brazil  and 
other  countries  of  South  America  could  be  loaded  wholly 
or  in  part  with  flour,  an  article  always  in  demand  in  those 
countries,  and  now  supplied  alm.ost  wholly  from  the  United 
States.  The  supply  of  flour  to  the  West-Indies,  from  Eng- 
land, would  relieve  those  colonics  from  the  constant  drain 
of  bullion  now  setting  in  from  them  to  the  United  States, 
and  at  the  same  time  give  increased  employment  to 
British  shipping.  It  is  well  known  that  flour,  suitable 
for  the  West-India  and  South  American  markets,  cannot 
be  made  from  British  wheat ;  the  supply  therefore  must 
come,  directly  or  indirectly,  from  other  countries,  and 
chiefly  from  the  United  States.  So  long  as  our  restrictive 
system  excludes  the  grain  of  those  countries  from  England, 
the  supply  to  our  West-India  islands  and  to  South  America 
must  be  directly  from  the  producing  countries,  to  their 
advantage  solely  ;  while  by  making  England  a  great  depot 
of  grain  from  all  countries,  the  profit  of  grinding  and  of 
conveyance  at  least,  would  belong  to  her,  besides  collateral 
benefits  of  enlarged  commerce  and  increased  demand  for 
her  manufactures. 


I  1,; 


■4 


THIRD    MEASURE. 

That  wheat,  rye,  oats,  and  barley,  shall  be  admitted 
from  Her  Majesty's  North-American  possessions  free  of 
duty,  and  be  exported  also  free  of  duty  ;  wheat  taken  for 
consumption  in  England,  to  pay  a  duty  of  three  pence  per 


1 


bushel,  rye  and  harley  three  half  pence  per  bushel.  Oat» 
taken  for  consumption  to  be  duty  fiee.  Wheat,  the  pro- 
ducc  of  the  United  Slates,  imported  into  Canada,  at  any 
point  west  of  Kingston  on  Lake  Ontario,  and  paying  there 
a  duty  of  eight  pence  per  bushel,  to  be  admitted  into 
England  ns  Canada-wheat.  Flour  from  Canada  to  be  ad- 
mitted into  EnglauQ  at  a  duty  of  two  shillings  per  barrel 
of  106  pounds,  without  regard  to  the  origin  of  the  wheat 
from  which  it  is  made. 


OBSERVATIONS. 

^  The  great  advantages  of  this  measure  to  Her  Majesty's 
Canadian  possessions  are  too  obvious  to  require  comment. 
These  possessions  are  the  only  parts  of  Her  Majesty's  do- 
minions capable,  under  full  cultivation,  of  supplying  the 
wants  of  Great  Britain ;   and  they  afford,  also,  the   most 
abundant  and  attractive  outlet  for  the  redundant  laboring 
population  of  the  United  Kingdom.    An  extensive  natural, 
not  forced,  emigration  from  Britain  to  Canada  would  be  of 
infinite  service  to  both,  if  attended  by  the  proposed  system. 
In  Canada  there  is  a  prolific  soil,  requiring  only  agricul- 
tural laborers  to  make  it  one  of  the  greatest  grain  producing 
countries  in  the  world.     England  can  supply  those  labor- 
ers, and  a  market  for  the   produce  of  their  toil ;   while 
they,  in  turn,  will  consume  her  manufactures  to  an  immense 
amount.    Thus  an  intercourse,  of  the  highest  mutual  profit, 
might  be  established  between  them— carried  on,  too,  wholly 
in  British  vessels. 

The  commercial  prosperity  of  Canada  is  to  be  established 
only  by  completing  the  navigation  of  the  St.  Lawrence 


Hi 


ond  the  Lakes.  The  proposed  duty  of  eight  pence  per 
bushel  on  United  States  wheat  would  assist  in  providing 
the  interest  of  the  loan  for  the  improvement  of  the  naviga- 
tion, and  would  sufficiently  protect  the  Canadian  farmer. 

It  would  be  better,  I  admit,  that  the  trade  with  the  United 
States  should  be  absolutely  free  through  Canada  ;  and  I 
trust  that  a  time  will  come  when  so  it  may  be,  but  at  present 
such  freedom  is  not  attainable. 

The  proposed  duty  of  two  shillings  per  barrel  on  flour 
from  Canada,  is  designed  for  the  security  of  the  agricultural 
interest  in  the  United  Kingdom. 

Quebec  might,  with  advantage,  be  erected  into  an  aux- 
iliary depot  of  grain ;  for  the  preservation  of  which  the 
dryness  of  the  climate  is  peculiarly  favorable. 


I 


FOURTH   MEASURE. 

That  in  calculating  the  duties  payable  on  grain  imported 
from  foreign  countries,  the  minimum  price  shall  be  taken  at 
one  dollar,  or  four  and  sixpence  sterling,  per  bushel,  for 
wheat ;  for  barley  and  rye,  two  shillings. 


ifi 


OBSERVATIONS. 


The  protection  of  the  agricultural  interests  of  Great 
Britain  and  Canada  requires  the  establishment  of  a  mini- 
mum price  on  which  the  duty  shall  be  laid.  The  principle 
I  have  derived  from  the  practice  adopted  by  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States,  in  laying  duties  on  the  low- 
priced  cottons,  and  other  manufactures  of  England  ;  and  as 
no  people  are  more  urgent  for  reciprocity,  this  part  of  the 


I 


9 

proposed  measure  is  in  accordance  with  their  policy. 
What  the  iiuniinuiu  should  be  on  oats  and  other  yrain  from 
the  IJaltic,  1  cannot  pretend  to  say,  as  .ny  ideas  are  found- 
ed upon  my  knowledge  of  trade  in  the  United  States. 
The  necessity  lor  a  niiniiuum  is  larlher  shewn  by  the  fact, 
that  in  soiue  countries  grain  can  be  furnished  so  cheaply, 
that  duty  upon  the  value,  at  the  place  of  export,  would  af- 
lord  no  protection,  while  these  countries  are  but  small 
consumers  of  British  manutaclures. 


FIFTH  measuup:. 

That  the  duties  arising  from  the  importation  of  grain  and 
Hour  imported  into  Great  Britain  shall  be  applied  to  the  re- 
lief of  the  agricultural  interests,  and  to  the  promotion  of 
emigration,  especially  of  such  persons  as  form  a  charge 
upon  the  landholders  and  farmers. 


OBSERVATIONS. 

It  is  very  evident,  from  the  increased  burden  of  the  poor 
laws,  which  by  many  is  charged  upon  the  high  price  of 
food,  as  well  as  from  the  overflowing  population,  that  emi- 
gration is  at  once  the  most  humane  and  the  most  effectual 
method  of  relief  to  the  country.  And  I  would  suggest  that 
the  removal  of  females  is  of  more  importance  than  that  of 
males,  from  considerations  that  must  be  obvious,  while  in 
Canada  females  are  as  much,  if  not  more,  wanted,  as  must 
always  be  the  case  in  new  countries,  the  result  of  sponta- 
neous emigration  being  a  much  larger  proportion  of  in- 
crease to  the  male  than  the  female  population. 

..■■■■•  a  ,    ^ 


i    ,1 


10 

It  is  clearly  both  just  and  wise  to  employ  the  means 
arising  from  the  import  of  grain  in  relieving  the  agricul- 
tural interest  at  home,  by  diminishing  the  number  of 
persons  to  be  fed  at  its  expense. 


Note. — The  increased,  and  increasing,  population  of  the  United  Kingdom, 
loudly  calls  for  the  providing  graineries  impervious  to  atmospheric  air — as  is  the 
case  at  Genoa,  Odessa,  and  other  places — to  be  supplied  in  years  of  plenty,  and 
to  be  so  capacious  as  to  retain  three  years'  supply,  to  be  erected  not  only  in 
England  but  at  Cluebec,  such  to  be  under  the  direction  of  Her  Majesty's 
government ;  proof  is  not  required  to  show,  that  even  in  the  way  of  profit, 
such  would  prove  beneficial.  It  is  to  be  observed,  that  the  wheat  so  imported 
from  the  Baltic,  &c.,  has  been  regarded  as  mcch  inferior  to  the  United  States 
wheat. 


M 


▼ 


GENERAL    0BSERV4T10NS. 


It  must  be  admitteJ  that  to  counteract  the  present  active 
progress  in    the  extension  of   manufactures  in  countries 
heretofore  supplied  from  Great  Britain,  which  are  greatly, 
if  not  chiefly,  improved  by  British  workmen,  who,  for  want 
of  employment  at  home,  have  removed  to  other  countries, 
some  efficient  and  immediate  measures  must  be  adopted  ; 
yet  it  is  not  just  that  the  burden  should  fall  on  the  agricul- 
tural interest  alone,  which,  it  was  apprehended,  would  be 
the  effect  of  Lord  John  Russell's  scheme ;  and  if  it  is  con- 
ceded that,  to  enable  British  workmen  to  compete  with 
other  countries,  daily  becoming  more  formidable  rivals,  the 
condition   of  the   British  workman    must  be  meliorated, 
justice  demands  that  other  classes  than   those  connected 
with  lands  should  bear  their  share  of  the  burden,  and  this 
alone  can  be  done,  it  is  apprehended,  by  a  property-tax,  as 
property  has   improved  chiefly  from  the  mercantile  and 
working  classes  ;  thus,  other  property,  as  well  as  land, 
should  contribute  ;  in  order  to  provide  the  working  classes 
with  cheap  bread,  tea,  and  sugar,  others  besides  the  agri- 
cultural and  colonial  proprietors  should  be  called  on  for 
their  quota  of  the  means. 

In  order  to  place  the  British  mechanic  upon  a  par  with 
those  in  other  countries,  who  must  immediately  come  in 
competitioh  with  him,  flour  should  be  had  at  £1  10s,  the  bar- 
rel of  190  lbs.,  sugar  at  56?.,  and  tea  at  3s.  Qd.  per  lb.  The 
revenue  arising  from  these  articles  at  the  present  rate  of 


I  1 1' 


I    '  I 


12 

duty  may  be  ascertained.  The  reduction  of  revenue  to 
meet  the  above  prices  can  be  accurately  ascertained,  and 
such  reduction  should  be  replaced  by  a  tax  on  property 
graduated  on  an  ascending  scale,  whether  arising  from 
lands,  houses,  and  public  or  private  securities,  save  invest- 
ments by  foreigners. 

The  landed  interest  should  bear  in  mind  that  their 
monopoly  of  provisions,  for  home  consumption,  is  not 
touched — a  monopoly  not  subject  to  the  vicissitudes  of  cli- 
mate as  agriculture — while  all  who  examine  t'le  subject 
will  be  led  to  the  conclusion,  that  to  render  the  production 
of  grain  in  England  equally  profitable  with  that  of  cattle 
and  sheep,  bread  should  be  kept  at  a  price  far  beyond  what 
it  bears  in  any  other  country,  and  such  price  must  increase 
with  the  population.  Limited  as  lands,  profitable  for  the 
cultivation  of  grain,  are,  the  supply  of  beef,  mutton,  butter, 
&c.,  must  be  diminished,  as  the  United  Kingdom  does  not 
increase  in  acres  as  in  population.  This  consideration 
brings  to  view  the  vast  importance  of  Canada,  which  is  the 
only  portion  of  the  empire  that  can  furnish  the  required 
quantity  of  grain ;  when  brought  into  cultivation,  and  by 
prudent  measures,  such  cultivation  will  keep  pace  so  as  to 
afford  an  ample  supply,  were  the  population  of  the  United 
Kingdom  double  what  it  is.  But  even  aside  from  such  im- 
portant advantages,  surely  there  should  not  be  any  re- 
strictive measures  to  exclude  Her  Majesty's  subjects  in 
Canada  from  feeling  that  they  are  regarded  as  members  of 
the  empire;  the  policy  that  shall  c'lerish  such  feeling  will 
alone  render  them  the  unconquerable  subjects  of  Her 
Majesty. 

As  immediately  connected  with  this  subject,  I  cannot 
omit  even  here  adverting  to  a  measure,  which  I  have  for 


.. 


18 


M 


above  twenty  years,  on  all  occasions,  advocated,  as  of  more 
importance  to  the  upholding  of  British  interests  on  the 
American  continent,  than  all  others  which  have  been  urged 
upon  the  consideration  of  Her  Majesty's  ministcrs,namely — 
ihat  the  St.  Lawrence,  anH  the  position  of  Canada,  should 
be  rendered  available  to  the  upholding  of  the  power  of  the 
crown  and  interests  of  the  empire  on  this  continent ;  and 
I  am  cheered  with  the  knowledge  that  your  grace  has 
been  led  to  view  Her  Majesty's  North  American  posses- 
sions, particularly  Canada,  as  essential  to  the  sustaining  of 
the  British  empire.  To  promote  this  all-important  national 
object,  the  navigation  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  the  navi- 
gable communications  of  the  great  inland  seas,  should  be 
regarded  as  a  great  national  wori\,  and  be  prosecuted  with 
vigor,  not  leaving  a  young  colony  chargeable  with  works 
so  essential  for  the  empire.  Heavy,  indeed,  will  be  the 
burden,  but  cheerfully  it  will  be  borne  by  Canada,  to  make 
their  rail-ways  and  roads  to  come  in  communication  with 
the  navigable  waters  leading  to  the  ocean.  Let  this  noble 
river,  and  those  inland  seas,  be  regarded  as  the  navigable 
waters  of  the  empire,  and  not  as  private  rivers.  They  are 
too  gigantic  for  a  colony,  and  I  fear  not  to  maintain  that 
they  will  prove  more  efficacious  than  the  most  powerful 
works  which  can  be  erected  by  the  ordnance  department, 
in  preserving  peace  with  the  United  States.  Afford 
the  citizens  of  that  republic  all  the  advantages  the  pro- 
posed measures  assuredly  yield  them,  and  they  must 
become  a  changed  people  before  they  will  sacrifice  them. 
The  navigable  coast,  which  may  be  opened  by  the 
measures  adverted  to,  exceeds  five  thousand  miles,  while 
the  vast  territories  of  Michigan,  Iowa,  Wisconsin,  Ohio, 
Indiana — yes,  to  the  Rocky  Mountains — may  be  drawn 
above  seven   hundred   miles   nearer  the   Atlantic  ;  but  I 


xiiS^' 


i      '   I 


\\  ■ 


14 

deem  it  unnecessary  to  do  more  herein  than  to  bring  the 
subject  again  to  view,  being  prepared  with  facts  to  uphold 
my  statements.  It  may  be  out  of  place  here,  but  as  the 
shipping  interests  are  materially  interested  in  the  proposed 
measures  submitted  for  consideration,  I  am  constrained  to 
advert  to  the  state  of  the  vessels  principally  engaged  in  the 
timber  trade  to  Canada.  Those  employed  in  carrying 
merchandize  are  much  better  fitted  out,  but  even  some  of 
them  are  placed  under  masters,  who,  by  their  im- 
perfect seamanship,  but  especially  their  want  of  moral 
principles,  are  disgraceful  to  the  British  flag ;  while  in  con- 
nection with  the  interests  of  Canada,  and  the  comfort  of 
emigrants  proceeding  thither,  the  subject  is  one  of  great 
importance,  and  to  which  I  have  frequently  called  the  at- 
tention of  the  General  Ship  Owners*  Society  of  London. 


ing  the 
uphold 
as  the 
oposed 
ined  to 
in  the 
Trying 
3me  of 
r    im- 
moral 
n  con- 
fort  of 
great 
be  at- 
ion. 


That  wheat  and  other  grain  has  been  repeatedly  import- 
ed into  the  United  States  from  Europe,  is  not  generally 
known  in  England :  in  the  year  1837,  the  following  quanti- 
ties were  imported : — 

Russia,  .         ,        40,922 

Prussia,         .         .       279,347 

Sweden  and  Norway,  10,291 

Denmark,      .         .         43,377 

Holland,       .        .      453,036 

Belgium,       .         .         75,576 

England,       .         .      984,334 

Scotland,       .         .  7 

Br.  North  America,    317,170 

Cape  of  Good -Hope,  25 

Hanse  towns,  and  other 
ports  of  Germany,  1,405,783 

Mediteranean  ports,      68,231 

French  Atlantic  Ports,     6,149 

Italy,  .         .       228,113 

Sicily,  .        .  4,961 

Triest,  and  other  Adri- 
atic ports, .        .      212,457— In  all,  3,021,295  bushels, 

valued  at      $4,154,325 


